Chapel Hill, N.C. — Success on the field and embarrassment off of it were cited by dozens who emailed new University of North Carolina Chancellor Carol Folt when she first took office this summer.

When Folt took over at UNC-CH on July 1, replacing Holden Thorp, the former provost and interim president at Dartmouth College said, “There is something special about America’s great public universities.” She then challenged the students, faculty and staff to share what they thought were two strengths and two weaknesses of UNC. She got nearly 250 responses and almost one-third of those pointed to the NCAA investigation of the football program and subsequent legal and academic fallout.

“I loathe the national embarrassment our sports programs have brought upon us,” one email from a current student read. “I love to root for our basketball and football teams as much as anyone else, and I love to revel in their successes. Nevertheless, if I had to choose between success in sports and the reputation (of) the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reputation wins by a country mile.”

WRAL News reviewed Folt’s emails as the result of a public records request.

Athletic integrity remains a hot-button issue as the fallout from a years-long scandal involving the football team continues. The scandal, dating back to early 2010, involved agent dealings, academic fraud and improprieties and other off-the-field issues. It led to the team forfeiting wins, players being suspended and losing eligibility and prompted an academic review of the African and Afro-American Studies department.

The scandal costs jobs both athletic and academic, and some even called for Thorp to take the fall.

“If your desire is to restore confidence in the university, you should start with two resignations,” an email dated July 27, 2011 to Thorp from an alumnus read. “It is obvious that you do not care about the athletes affected or about the opinions of a majority of alumni.”

“I don’t like that the athletic tail wags the academic dog,” wrote Michelle Cofield. “I know that’s a clunky metaphor but, for several years, big time athletics (your revenue sports) have called the shots and have caused my beloved Tar Heels to be on the national stage in a bad way.”

UNC faculty and students told Folt they worry about the amount of money spent on athletics, and that student-athletes are not held to UNC’s academic standards.

“To heal from the recent athletic scandals, we need to look more closely at the admissions decisions regarding specially admitted student-athletes,” suggested Bradley Bethel, a reading and writing specialist who works in the athletic support program for student-athletes. “There have been many student-athletes who were specially admitted whose academic preparedness is so low they cannot succeed here.”

UNC, according to the website businessofcollegesports.com, spent more than $70 million on athletics in 2010-11, third highest in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The university ranked fourth in the conference in net athletic income at just over $660,000. In 2012, the ACC and ESPN extended a contract that will pay each school in the 14-team conference $17.1 annually through the 2026-27 season.

UNC’s football program, meanwhile, ranked dead last in the ACC and at the bottom 10 of BCS schools nationally in the latest Academic Progress Rate score released by the NCAA. The score represents a four-year snapshot of graduation and retention rates among players in a particular sport.

“I’m truly concerned that our university is giving way to the mega $$ that comes with high-level sports,” wrote a student.

“We need to work on having athletic programs that are consistent with the academic model of UNC Chapel Hill,” Diana Knechtel, a UNC alumnus, added. “We need to stop relying upon the revenue from athletics because that makes us make bad decisions.”

While many emails responding to Folt’s inquiry were negative, there were others that painted a more positive attachment to UNC athletics.

“I think UNC can be a powerhouse in both academics and athletics,” wrote a student who added that the No. 1 thing Folt must do in her time is attend a UNC-Duke game at the Dean Smith Center. “Some say the two are mutually exclusive, but I disagree.”

UNC’s football program went 8-4 under new head coach Larry Fedora in 2012, but was ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions as a result of the scandal. The basketball program, despite some off-the-court issues this past summer, has played in three consecutive NCAA tournaments.

“My heart swells when we go arm-in-arm to sing ‘Hark the Sound’ after a football or basketball game,” wrote Elizabeth Gunn, director of Data Management at UNC.

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StunGunnOct 12, 2013

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Understand that thought, but there's no way in the world some kid who became a Carolina fan 5 years ago when he started school there feels stronger about UNC than I do after 35 years of being a fan. I would have gone to school there given the chance, but my little county in eastern NC only had a quota of only 2 spots believe it or not. Anyhoo, Campbell worked out well for me just the same.

— Posted by heelsforever

Well said, heels, and you are certainly an example of a loyal Carolina fan! I always enjoy reading your posts.

heelsforeverOct 11, 2013

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Maybe they should just focus on academic integrity. If you have that, doesn't athletic integrity kinda take care of itself?

Think about it.

— Posted by TruthBKnown Banned Again03

One would think...

heelsforeverOct 11, 2013

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+1

Totally agree. I understand that fans who attended and graduated from a school may feel a stronger tie to their alma mater, but you're right about the stands being less populated if you had to graduate to be fan of a school.

— Posted by StunGunn

Understand that thought, but there's no way in the world some kid who became a Carolina fan 5 years ago when he started school there feels stronger about UNC than I do after 35 years of being a fan. I would have gone to school there given the chance, but my little county in eastern NC only had a quota of only 2 spots believe it or not. Anyhoo, Campbell worked out well for me just the same.

TruthBKnown Banned Again03Oct 11, 2013

Maybe they should just focus on academic integrity. If you have that, doesn't athletic integrity kinda take care of itself?

Think about it.

TruthBKnown Banned Again03Oct 11, 2013

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I believe UNC has learned from the scandals over the last 3 years and will become stronger because of it. GO HEELS!

— Posted by 4tarheels

Better at CHEATING!!!

heelsforeverOct 11, 2013

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You are by far the most clueless person to post here today. The stadiums would be mostly empty on game day if limited to only fans who had stepped into a classroom. What is your criteria for fanhood? If Grandpa retired from a university after 40 plus years can he be a fan? Can My kids who haven't started college be a fan etc. I actually teamed up and agreed with a UNC fan (first for me) regarding how unbelievably ignorant your post is. I know this is off topic, but I didn't start it and I'm tired of talking about UNC's issues. I think that they already know about it;) A true fan is one who stands by there team no matter what these kids do that none of us have any control over....Peace out!

— Posted by Cook&Jones

Bravo!

StunGunnOct 11, 2013

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You are by far the most clueless person to post here today. The stadiums would be mostly empty on game day if limited to only fans who had stepped into a classroom. What is your criteria for fanhood? If Grandpa retired from a university after 40 plus years can he be a fan? Can My kids who haven't started college be a fan etc. I actually teamed up and agreed with a UNC fan (first for me) regarding how unbelievably ignorant your post is. I know this is off topic, but I didn't start it and I'm tired of talking about UNC's issues. I think that they already know about it;) A true fan is one who stands by there team no matter what these kids do that none of us have any control over....Peace out!

— Posted by Cook&Jones

+1

Totally agree. I understand that fans who attended and graduated from a school may feel a stronger tie to their alma mater, but you're right about the stands being less populated if you had to graduate to be fan of a school.

StunGunnOct 11, 2013

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I know, right? State didn't even get the death penalty in basketball and it took about 15 years to recover.

— Posted by heelsforever

OK - that did make me laugh.

StunGunnOct 11, 2013

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"Remains"Really?

— Posted by MoDuke v2 is gone

It'll all be over by Friday, MO. Oh wait, today IS Friday. Sorry - couldn't resist.

4YourConsiderationOct 11, 2013

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I thought the same thing when I saw the title; it could have been worded differently. I don't think academic integrity was ever in question at Carolina, but it sure is when it's combined with athletics; specifically in the football program.

As for Chancellor Folt, she hasn't been very visible with the documents being unsealed and all. I'm not sure she'll work out at Carolina; she came from a smaller school without high profile athletics programs.

— Posted by StunGunn

Gee, I really hope she does work out. Her silence has been deafening so far; and that concerns me. These are critical times for UNC to have a strong leader - not a &quot;business as usual&quot; type. Let's hope she is simply waiting for the right time to exert her influence on matters.